updated 08:25 am EST, Mon December 31, 2007

BlackBerry 9000 Photo Leak

Research in Motion's BlackBerry 9000-series has been spotted but may be an evolutionary design rather than the major shift expected by some, according to an update from the third-party BlackBerry Forums. A photo allegedly taken near the company's Waterloo, Canada campus reveals a device that offers a major redesign of the BlackBerry Curve but retains the chief formula equipped with a conventional screen, it also keeps the trackball of the earlier model but includes larger, easier to hit keys on its keypad and is thinner overall than its predecessors.

Despite rumors, the current device has no touchscreen and may be representative of the series as a whole, the report suggests. Neither the employee using the device nor his colleagues appear to have knowledge of a touchscreen in use at the company.

The "touch screen is even an internal rumour," the leak explains. However, a separate rumor suggests that the 9000 is separate from the 9100, which is rumored to be the touchscreen equivalent.

Hardware features are largely unknown, though a camera and microSD storage are expected. 3G Internet access over HSPA is being tested in "a few devices" and should provide a major boost to speed, though whether this includes the 9000-series is uncertain. HTML e-mail support may be coming with the device, the report says. The actual ship date of the device is not expected until 6-8 months from now and likely depends on RIM's ability to cool down the internal components and refine the code that already exists for the new BlackBerry.

Trackball scroll.

As the actual Blackberry, scrolling and searching contacts quickly is one of their main features for Businessmen, and it solves greatly with their trackball, which I guess is Blackberry’s main focus and not as much as media and entertainment. Maybe that’s a reason for not developing ‘touch’ yet, wouldn’t really know.